Chapter 8: I want to be the worst villain!
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Except for her hair, the girl's entire body was covered in snow-white fur, and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head.
It wasn't difficult to recognize that she was a Mink, specifically a cat Mink, a member of the Fur Tribe.
The Mink Tribe, are a race that lives on the back of the giant Zou elephant. They are extremely rare in the outside world but are even rarer collectibles to the Celestial Dragons.
Though her fur appeared neat, beneath it lay a multitude of scars, remnants of a brutal past.
As soon as she sensed someone approaching, her fur bristled like a startled cat. This reaction was characteristic of the Mink Tribe, an instinct tied to their animalistic lineage.
When she realized it was Oran approaching, her fur relaxed slightly. Perhaps it was because Oran had treated her wounds before, and she subconsciously felt he could be trusted.
"What's the problem, Kate? These are dried fish products; you should be able to eat them," Oran said gently.
The Mink Tribe does not eat the meat of furry mammals; this is an inherent aspect of their nature.
Although Shaq, a shark-man, had no issue eating fish, Kate was different. Forcing her to eat furry mammals was akin to forcing a human to commit cannibalism.
This refusal was the source of the whip marks on her body. The Celestial Dragons had beaten her, trying to force her to eat food she found abhorrent. Even after they covered her in bruises, she refused to eat a single bite. Eventually, they lost interest in her and added her to their "cleanup list," marking her as one of their disposable prey.
In the eyes of the Celestial Dragons, there was no distinction between a Mink's fur and that of a domestic cat. To them, a disobedient "cat" deserved to be killed outright.
"Are you familiar with the Mink Tribe?" Kate asked, cautiously.
"Just a little bit. If I say or do anything offensive, feel free to correct me," Oran replied calmly.
He remembered some details about the Mink Tribe, but even without prior knowledge, he found it hard to believe a cat Mink would reject fish.
"No, I just think you're very different from other humans," Kate said.
In the Mink Tribe's eyes, humans were considered part of their species, akin to hairless monkeys. Kate had once thought so too, until her family left Zou a year ago and encountered a Celestial Dragon slave-hunting team. That encounter shattered her innocent perception.
Life on Zou's back was relatively safe, but Kate had congenital heart problems, and Zou's limited medical resources couldn't address her condition. Her family had ventured out to find a doctor.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck when her father attempted an escape under the full moon.
Under the full moon, the Minks could activate a power called the "Sulong" or "Electro" form, which allowed them to go berserk and gain strength far beyond their normal capabilities.
Despite this, her father's attempt failed. He eventually lost control of his Sulong form and died from exhaustion. Shortly afterward, her mother, unable to bear the loss, took her own life.
Kate, however, persevered tenaciously. Luck played a small part, as the Celestial Dragons had wanted an "obedient cat" at the time. She narrowly escaped death by starvation but endured unimaginable suffering.
Even now, Kate harbored deep thoughts of revenge. The memory of the Celestial Dragon's grotesque smile was seared into her mind.
Although she was the same age as Ginny, her heart was far from cheerful.
After all, Ginny had been sold as a slave for as long as she could remember and had no memory of her parents, while Kate once had a happy family.
"I admit that humans are diverse. There are all kinds of people. If you're unlucky, the evil in human nature can leave you scarred, both inside and out. But I want to correct you on one point—I don't recognize the Celestial Dragons as human beings."
"So, do you think Meow is a human, a cat, or a monster?"
As she spoke, Kate maintained a slightly arched posture. This feline instinct, deeply rooted in her nature, was a protective measure to guard her soft abdomen in dangerous environments.
It was clear she had not fully let her guard down, but deep in her eyes, there was a faint glimmer of expectation.
Oran had seen this look many times before. He had funded an orphanage in Piltover to take in war orphans and other unfortunate souls from across Runeterra.
This initiative, while helpful in cultivating talent, was ultimately a loss-making endeavor for Oran. Yet, he did not mind.
Some people accused him of doing it just for appearances, but Oran didn't care about their opinions. In Valoran, he did what he could, within his limits, as long as it didn't harm him. Showing goodwill was not about earning praise for him.
When Oran first came to this city-state, he survived on the kindness of others. This was simply his way of giving back.
"If you want me to analyze it scientifically, I would classify the Mink Tribe as sub-humans—a branch of humans. It's the same logic as how you classify humans as hairless monkeys."
"But from a practical point of view, Kate, you must understand that the body is merely a shell. The soul and consciousness are what truly define us. And in that sense, humans are incredibly diverse, even when they look the same.
We are all equal, except for our unique talents and abilities. At the core, we're the same."
"Cat" was how the Celestial Dragons defined her, while "monster" was how her fellow slaves described her.
The ability of the Minks required training to master. Her father had never fully controlled it, and forcing it out had cost him his life.
Fear stemmed from ignorance. Because people didn't understand this power, those around Kate developed a fear of her.
Kate worried about many things—whether the Celestial Dragons would punish her for her existence, or whether she might lose control and harm someone.
The environment can change people drastically, and the harsh life of a slave can break someone in a short time. Over the course of just a year, the overwhelming hardships Kate endured had made her view the world in a more extreme way.
Like Kuma, Kate was a slave who had escaped alone. But while Kuma had escaped still bound in chains, Kate had taken a far more harrowing route.
Under the cover of night, she had dislocated her left thumb to slip free of her handcuffs, killed a guard, and made her escape. The bandages on her hand and the splints fashioned from wooden sticks had been made by Oran.
"Soul of the Stars, Meow thinks you are a good person—a different kind of human being. Unfortunately, good people don't live long."
"It's bad luck to say something so discouraging at a time like this," Oran replied, his tone light. "But how exactly do you understand the grammar of that title?"
Recently, Oran had noticed a trend among the people he encountered—they seemed particularly fond of giving him the "Nice Guy" card. Kuma had done it, Shaq had done it, and now Kate was doing it too.
Even the title Kate had used struck him as peculiar.
"Oran— isn't your name spelled like this? Meow's dad liked studying the stars, so I heard him spell some words. He was a good man too, so when he died, Mom followed him.
But you don't have to be afraid. Mom and Dad always said you have to repay a favor. Anyway, I won't live long. The full moon is in three days. If you're not as unlucky as other good people, I should be able to save you once. But after that, you'll have to rely on yourself.
If you escape alive..."
Kate was not as silent or reserved as Kuma had described her. Her earlier questions to Oran seemed to be part of a test, meant to lead her to a decision.
She was very aware of her condition. Her heart problem had left her with little time, even to plan her revenge.
The Fur Tribe held a strong tradition of repaying favors, and the answer she received from Oran cemented her resolve.
The Mink Tribe was a naturally combative race, and with the boost of the Sulong form, Kate believed she could at least attempt revenge—or protect others. After that, she planned to burn brightly in one final act before joining her family.
Seeing how young Kate was, pretending to be an adult and trying to leave her final words with such seriousness, Oran smiled faintly. He simply took a piece of dried fish and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Pause for a moment—you may have misunderstood something. I have many professions, one of which is alchemist. Alchemy has a basic principle, which also happens to be my life principle: equal exchange.
Life is the most valuable thing, and only life can be exchanged for life. Your abilities and talents are extremely important and will play a crucial role in our escape plan.
Just trust my arrangements. I promise I will take you out of here alive. And along the way, I'll teach you how a so-called 'good person' should act."
After discovering Kate, a rare member of the Mink Tribe, Oran had slightly altered his original plan. The natural abilities of her race would be invaluable to him.
"Ahem. Meow doesn't want to be a good person! Good people are always bullied, but bad guys can get away with anything. If Meow survives, Meow will become the worst bad guy in the world!"
After chewing on the dried fish, Kate seemed tempted but still hesitated. Despite her restraint, she followed up with her own "dream declaration."
"So, you want to be the world's greatest villain?" Oran asked.
"Well, you could say that."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"Meow will kill all the bad guys! Then Meow will be the worst!"